Cattle rates continue upward trajectory at Naracoorte store sale

The market continued its upward trajectory, with rates up to 20 cents a kilogram dearer than May.

Lightweight Angus steers reached a high of $7.78/kg, while 400kg plus steers made up to $5.15/kg.

Nutrien Ag Solutions Naracoorte livestock manager Brendan Fitzgerald attributed the month-on-month price increase to recent widespread rains.

"There was some buyers, that were probably previously sitting on the fence, that were having a go which brings extra competition into the sale," he said.

After a huge yarding of more than 2500 cattle was auctioned off in May, about 1100 head went under the hammer on Thursday, with Mr Fitzgerald expecting numbers to continue sliding in coming months.

"I think if we didn't get the rain we had, people would have kept unloading numbers and taken the money on offer and I still think there's some people taking the money so they don't have to feed through winter," he said.

"If you have to fire sale it's a great time to do it, but now that there's a bit more feed coming on and a bit more confidence about that side of things going into winter, more people will probably hold.

"In saying that, I still think there'll be less numbers going into our weaner sales in December/January."

On Thursday, 400kg plus steers made up to $5.15/kg, those in the 350-400kg weight range sold for $5.15-$5.55/kg, while those from 300-350kg were generally knocked down for $5.40-$5.80/kg.

250-300kg steers generally made $5.60-$5.90/kg, while anything under 250kg fetched in excess of $6/kg.

Wauraltee Props received $1440 or $7.78/kg for 13 Stoney Point-bld Angus steers, av 185kg, while McKenny made $1220 or $7.22/kg for 10 Arki-bld Murray Grey steers, av 169kg.

A 48-head run of Stoney Point-bld Angus steers, also from Wauraltee Props, weighing in at 234kg, sold for $1540 or $6.58/kg.

Making $1680 or $5.92/kg for 12 Lindsay and Arki-bld Murray Grey steers, av 284kg, were Deepwater, Lochaber, while 22 Weeran-bld Angus steers, av 298.4kg, from Horridge Trading, Wattle Range, sold for $5.84/kg or $1742.

Knocked down for $1900 or $5.60/kg were 13, 339kg steers from Paroo Pastoral, SA and NSW, while 14 Allendale and Nampara-bld Poll Hereford/Angus steers, av 348kg, from Allambie, Marcollat, reached $1890 or $5.43/kg.

Cracking the $2000 mark were Egremont Pastoral, Lucindale, who received $2020 or $5.53/kg for 23 Nampara, Glatz and Woonallee-bld Angus/Simmental steers, av 365kg.

RELATED READING: Prices fully firm at bumper Naracoorte store sale

Five August 2020-drop Pathfinder-bld Angus cross steers, av 404kg, from D Hamlyn, reached $2080 or $5.15/kg, with 16, 433kg Angus steers from D&H Ludwig also cracking the $5/kg plateau. They sold for $2200 or $5.08/kg to Thomas Foods International.

Among the higher prices received was $2340 or $5.10/kg for seven Woonallee-bld Simmental cross steers, av 459kg, from AJ,DJ&SC Brooker, Lucindale, bought by TFI.

Teys Charlton paid $2290 or $4.92/kg for 11 Nampara-bld Angus steers, av 465kg, from DA&MJV Charlick, Padthaway, while bidding reached $4.55/kg or $2559 for two 562.5kg Angus steers from Harrold Pastoral Company, Coonawarra.

There was varying quality and not a lot of weight in the heifer run, but those few around the 350kg mark made up to $5.15/kg, not far off steer rates.

Heifers weighing 300-350kg were generally sold for $5-$5.40/kg, with the 250-300kg weight range making similar money.

Lightweight heifers reached a market high of $5.82/kg.

"The nearly 300kg heifers were selling quite a bit dearer, especially the Angus, and were making as much as some of the steers were the previous month," Mr Fitzgerald said.

Wheal Farms, Beachport, offered a large run of March/April 2020-drop Glatz and Woonallee Angus/Simmental heifers across four pens.

Twenty-three weighing 316.3kg sold for $5.32/kg or $1683, while another 24, av 293.8kg made $5.20/kg or $1528.

A further 17, av 313.5kg, were knocked down for $5.32/kg or $1668, with the remaining 15, av 276kg, making $5.20/kg or $1435.

The market top of $2080 was reached for five Woonallee-bld Simmental cross heifers, av 418kg, from AJ, DJ&SC Brooker which were sold to TFI and came in at $4.98/kg.

Making $4.74/kg or $1981 were three Angus heifers, av 418kg, from Merrett Pastoral, Penola.

Glengyle Props sold 30 Angus heifers, av 325.5kg, for $5.42/kg or $1764, while a further 14, av 353.2kg, from Merrett Pastoral were knocked down for $5.36/kg or $1893.

Achieving good returns for ten Nampara, Glatz and Woonallee-bld Angus heifers, av 318kg, were Egremont Pastoral, with bidding reaching a conclusion at $1680 or $5.28/kg.

Sixteen Belmore and Nentoura-bld Shorthorn and Shorthorn cross heifers of a similar weight, av 310kg, made $1740 or $5.61/kg for RJ Williams, Lochaber.

On the lighter end of the heifers, 25 Angus from Weigal Park, av 194kg, were sold for $1130 or $5.82/kg.

Eight Limek-bld heifers, av 262kg, from Weegun made $1430 or $5.46/kg.

The lone offering of cows with calves at foot - 27 cows av 564kg and 27 calves av 131kg from Longtrail Farms, Parilla - made $2700.

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